The Montreal Cocktail Fest, a full-on convergence of the world’s top mixology minds in some of the city’s best bars, is back for its second edition.
This is not some bar crawl with better lighting: From May 18 to 21, 2025, bartenders from Paris, New York, Oaxaca, Cape Town, and beyond will shake, stir, and share their craft at venues across the city. Expect seminars, pop-ups, rare spirits, pairing dinners, and big-name guest shifts—from New York's Death & Co. and Paris' Le Syndicat to a bowling night with White Russians paying tribute to The Big Lebowski.
And the best part? A whole lot of it is free.
What is Montreal Cocktail Fest?
The Montreal Cocktail Fest (MCF) is a four-day celebration of cocktail culture built by—and for—the hospitality industry.
Remember, you don’t need to be part of the bar industry to join in! Most pop-ups and events are open to the public, and only seminars and dinners require tickets (and again, attendance is not restricted to folks in the industry). You’ll find global talent pouring at beloved Montreal bars, spirits brands hosting wild activations, and back-to-back talks from the minds shaping what we drink—and why.
That said, it’s not just a party, but a platform for the time-honoured tradition and craft of bartending, hospitality, and mixology.
Who’s Behind It?
The festival is the brainchild of Kevin Demers—the force behind The Coldroom, El Pequeño, Bar Bello, and Bisou Bisou—and Gregory J. Buda, formerly of The Dead Rabbit in NYC and now co-owner of Bisou Bisou. Together with the MCF Education Committee (local leaders like Sabrina Touzel of Foxy and Lori Chiaradia of Moccione plus Toronto's Andrew Toplack), they’ve built an event that mixes international edge with serious local pride.
The Bars
You don’t host one of North America’s most exciting cocktail festivals without a solid home base. Montreal’s bar scene more than holds its own—MCF’s venues are the kind of spots where you’d want to drink even without a world-class takeover happening. Throughout the week, each participating bar will serve custom signature cocktails created exclusively for the festival, giving you a reason to revisit your favourites and discover a few new go-tos.
To help you navigate it all, we’ve put together a complete guide to the official Montreal Cocktail Fest venues and bars, from sleek hotel lounges to back-alley speakeasies. Use it to map your crawl, make your reservations, or just get a sense of how strong the local game really is.
👉 Explore the full Montreal Cocktail Fest Bar Guide 👈
The Main
What to expect in 2025
With 50+ events packed into four days, MCF balances immersive fun with serious professional chops. This year’s lineup includes 25 international pop-up bar takeovers, 15 seminars led by 20+ speakers, and 4 chef-driven pairing dinners, plus exclusive tastings and offbeat events.
Think of it like a choose-your-own-adventure of cocktails, culture, and conversation.
- Pop-ups: Guest shifts from some of the best bars in the world—Overstory (NYC), Selva (Oaxaca), Fable (Cape Town), Viajante87 (London), and Truth & Dare (Vienna)—take over Montreal favourites like Bisou Bisou, The Coldroom, and Atwater Cocktail Club.
- Pairing Dinners: Limited-seat experiences like the Barbados dinner at Tropikàl or prix fixe seasonal menu inspired by Normandy cuisine at Molenne where chefs and bartenders collaborate course by course.
- Seminars & Workshops: The PHI Centre will once again act as the brain of the operation, hosting most seminars and the brand exhibition featuring 20+ top spirit and beverage brands. Hear from heavyweights like Monica Berg on the evolving culture of bars, Jason Littrell on guest retention, and Kevin Kos on the physics of fizz. It’s brain food with a bar tab.
- Cocktail Competitions: Including the Fiol Masters Montréal Finals and Havana Club’s Cocktail Maestros, where bartenders battle for top honours.
- Parties: A bowling night tribute to The Big Lebowski. Late-night takeovers at the Four Seasons. A closing blowout with Baltra Bar (CDMX) and Amour Drink (Paris) at Taverne Midway.
How To Attend
From day passes to à la carte tickets, access is flexible—and many events are free to attend with registration. You can also just show up for a Negroni and end up learning how to run a better bar.
- Pop-ups + Parties: Free with MCF registration. RSVP recommended.
- Seminars: Require an MCF Exhibition Ticket. You’ll need a bracelet to get in.
- Pairing Dinners: Sold separately. Space is limited, so move fast.
You can register, get tickets, and RSVP to individual events through montrealcocktailfest.com.
Why It Matters
Montreal knows how to throw a festival. But this one hits different.
Montreal Cocktail Fest isn’t about flash—it’s about sharing skills. It’s where bartenders swap techniques, brands debut new products, and drinkers discover what the future tastes like. If you care about cocktails—or just want to drink with people who do—this is your moment.
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